Daily Press wrestler of the year: Poquoson's Jeffrey Ogburn

Jeffrey Ogburn of Poquoson is the Daily Press wrestler of the year. (Rob Ostermaier, Daily Press)

Lynn Burke, lburke@dailypress.com | 757-247-4961

This will be a senior year Jeffrey Ogburn certainly won’t forget.

First there was the ulcerative colitis, a bowel disease that caused him to spend time in a hospital and be home-schooled until November. Then there was the weight loss associated with the illness. And then there was the broken thumb that kept him off his beloved wrestling mat until January.

He will remember those low points, no doubt, but he’ll also remember that, after three frustrating years of high state finishes, he finally won that elusive championship.

“I lost a couple of matches early,” he said. “But I peaked at the right time.”

He rolled through the district and regional tournaments, winning the 126-pound classes easily in both, then won his first three matches at the Group AA state tournament to set up a championship match against Bennett Payne of Fauquier.

Neither wrestler scored in the first period, then Ogburn got an arm bar on Payne at the start of the second period — he calls it his “go-to” move — and pinned Payne 19 seconds into the period.

The state championship fulfilled a dream for Ogburn, who was a state runner-up as a freshman and as a junior.

In Poquoson’s wrestling room, one wall is filled with pictures of the school’s state champions.“Ever since I first set foot in the wrestling room and saw the pictures on the wall, I wanted to hang my picture up there,” he said.

He did just that last month, becoming Poquoson’s 77th individual state champion.

“It was awesome,” he said. “The whole Poquoson wrestling community was there.”

As one opposing coach said of his illness:

“It would sideline most from basket-weaving, but this kid somehow wrestled and won a state title.”

The All-Stars

106: Richard Harrell, Tabb, sophomore. The Region I champion was fourth in the Group AA state meet and had a 50-7 record.

113: Blake Hohman, New Kent, freshman. An injury limited him to almost no regular-season matches, but he won the Region I championship

120: Thomas Payne, Poquoson, senior. A state champ as a sophomore, Payne capped his career by finishing third at state. He had a 33-2 record.

126: Jeffrey Ogburn, Poquoson, senior. Ogburn overcame health problems to win his first state title. He had two pins at state, including one in the championship match.

132: Trey Gregory, New Kent, senior. He lost his first match at state, then won five straight to finish third and complete a 52-5 season.

138: Austin Fuller, New Kent, senior. He finished third in the state meet.

145: Justin McRee, Grafton, junior. A 4-3 loss in the championship match kept McRee (43-5) from winning a state championship.

152: Nolan Schultz, New Kent, senior. He finished 46-5 and was third at state. He had three pins at the state tournament.

160: Demonte Fitzgerald, New Kent, senior. He was 16-0 heading into the state tournament, then won three of four matches to finish third.

170: Sid Hall, Jamestown, senior. He won the district and regional championships, then was sixth at state. He posted a 44-3 record.

182: Thomas Turbeville, Lafayette, senior. The Region I champion won 30 of 37 matches during his senior season.

195: Chuck Sharon, Smithfield, junior. He was the Region I champion and won three of five matches at state to finish fourth.

220: James Pavik Jr., Mathews, senior. He capped a 28-0 season with four pins at the state tournament and the Group A championship.

285: Austin Holovet, Lafayette, junior. Holovet was 28-12 this season and finished eighth in the state meet.